Canadian Naser Al-Raas to be released from Bahrain jail: fiancee

Canadian Naser Al-Raas in Bahrain to be released from jail: fiancee

OTTAWA — An Ottawa man jailed in Bahrain could be released Monday, according to his fiancee.

Naser Al-Raas, a Kuwait-born Canadian citizen, who had been in hiding since losing an appeal of his conviction for breaking the country’s illegal-assembly laws during pro-democracy protests, was re-arrested Wednesday and jailed.

However, his fiancee, Zainab Ahmed, told Postmedia News he would be let out Monday.

“Naser’s lawyer requested again today to release Naser and the court approved it!” he said in an email. “So, Naser will be released today.”

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The federal government had urged Bahrain’s government to release Al-Raas.

Al-Raas said he had been tortured by authorities in Bahrain in the past.

He was sentenced in last October, along with 12 others, for having links to demonstrations.

He was arrested last week after his first court hearing to have the case reconsidered, Ahmed said. The case has been postponed until Feb. 16. Bahrain’s Third Superior Court had upheld Al-Raas’ five-year prison sentence late last month.

“I am afraid that they will torture him again,” Ahmed said last week. “There are still some people (who) are being tortured severely. I can’t imagine Naser spending one day there.”

Al-Raas has an underlying heart condition called chronic pulmonary embolism, according to a report from his doctor. Dr. Fraser Rubens of the Ottawa Heart Institute stressed that Al-Raas should not be incarcerated, saying it would put his health in jeopardy.